Bermuda’s public school graduation rate is expected to improve — but not to the extraordinary extent previously suggested, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday.

Education Minister Randy Horton called a press conference to dispel confusion over results which appeared to show a massive hike in pass rates at CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute in 2007. Figures released by the two schools at the end of June showed an overall graduation rate of 82 percent — an apparent leap of 34 percentage points on the 48 percent announced by the Ministry for 2005-06.

However, the Ministry yesterday explained it would be impossible to draw a direct comparison between the two sets of statistics.

A spokeswoman told The Royal Gazette that last year’s Ministry figure was based on all students who entered senior four, while the more recent schools figure only included those who completed the whole year. Therefore, the 82 percent pass rate was comparatively high because it did not take into account struggling students who dropped out throughout the course of the year.

Until yesterday, neither principals Kalmar Richards and Michelle Simmons nor the Ministry had explained their results had been calculated differently despite repeated requests for clarification on the subject.

This newspaper has previously reported that the rate appeared to have soared, while teachers’ union leader Mike Charles called for clear statistics.

Mr. Horton told the press conference: “Our senior schools reported their graduation rates during their commencement ceremonies. Those rates represented the success of students at the end of S4. Make no mistake, this is to be celebrated. However, it should not be confused with the Ministry’s calculation of the graduation rate for the Bermuda public school system. It is important for me to explain how it is determined. The Ministry’s rate is calculated by comparing the number of students who begin their S4 year with the students who meet the Bermuda School Certificate requirements at the end of that school year.”

Mr. Horton said the Ministry would not release its graduation rates until September, to allow for the completion of summer school.

But he said the early signs were encouraging because of a number of new measures, including encouraging parents to help failing students, and retaining underperforming students in their S3 year.

“Practices such as these will be repeated in the coming academic year through the ongoing collaboration of the Ministry, schools and parents to support our children’s continued success,” he said.

The Minister gave credit to the graduating class of 2007 and criticised media reports which, he said, had attempted to turn the success of graduating students into a controversial issue.

“Teachers and students should be applauded for the hard work and effort they have put in over the past four years to lay the foundation for what can only be bright futures,” he said.

“This Ministry has taken its share of criticism in recent months and, now that we have something to celebrate, there are those who would attempt to focus on what they perceive to be something negative in the graduation rate.”

Out of 212 students who completed S4 at CedarBridge or Berkeley at the end of this school year, 173 graduated.

Last year’s Ministry-issued pass rate — representing the proportion of students who entered S4 and successfully completed it with a Bermuda School Certificate — was 48 percent, compared with 43 percent in 2005 and 38 percent in 2004.

Earlier this year, Mr. Horton commissioned an independent review of the education system, conducted by UK professor David Hopkins and a team of experts. The damning report revealed one of the two senior schools was failing, with half of its lessons inadequate.

Mr. Horton said implementing the suggestions of the review would remain a priority. “We still have much to do in education,” he said.